Device for the additive manufacturing of a shaped body

ABSTRACT

In a device for the additive manufacturing of a shaped body, comprising a construction platform, at least one printing head for applying material layer by layer to the construction platform or the shaped body at least partially constructed on the construction platform, a positionable carrier for the at least one printing head, a positioning system for the carrier, a holder for a material stock, and a supply device for supplying material from the material stock to the at least one printing head, the holder for the material stock, the supply device and the printing head are arranged in a unit designed as an exchangeable insert.

The invention relates to a device for the additive manufacturing of ashaped body, comprising a construction platform, at least one printinghead for applying material layer by layer to the construction platformor the shaped body at least partially constructed on the constructionplatform, a positionable carrier for the at least one printing head, apositioning system for the carrier, a holder for a material stock, and asupply device for supplying material from the material stock to the atleast one printing head.

Additive manufacturing methods, also referred to as 3D printing methods,are characterized by the layered construction of a shaped body. As arule, a working plane is repeatedly traversed either line by line or atdiscrete points to site-selectively apply material, whereupon theworking plane is moved upwards. Layer thicknesses range between 0.025and 1.25 mm according to the use case. 3D printing methods are based oncomputer models of the object to be manufactured, which may, forinstance, be generated by using CAD software. In doing so, a contour mapof the object to be manufactured is prepared, in which a manufacturinggrid is produced for each layer, said grid defining the grid cells wheremanufacturing material is to be site-selectively applied and solidified.

The invention preferably relates to a 3D printing method referred to asfused deposition modeling (FDM) or fused filament fabrication (FFF), inwhich a shaped body is built in layers from a meltable plastic. To thisend, the liquefaction of a plastic or resin material (filament) usuallyfed in wire-form from a material stock is at first effected by heating,followed by the application of the liquefied material by extrusionthrough a nozzle and, finally, the solidification of the material bycooling on the desired location of the working plane. The extrusion ofmaterial can be performed continuously or intermittently. Wherecantilevers, undercuts and apertures in the horizontal direction cannotbe produced unsupported, a so-called support structure must be producedfrom a support material. The support material can likewise be appliedvia an extruder nozzle or a printing head, wherein the printing head isfed from a material stock differing from the material provided for theconstruction of the shaped body.

For the FDM process, forming resins and thermoplastics such aspolyethylene, polypropylene, polyactide, ABS, PETG and thermoplasticelastomers can be currently used.

Conventional 3D printers, in particular those for performing an FDMprocess, comprise at least one manufacturing head or printing head and aconstruction platform, which are arranged so as to be displaceablerelative to each other both along an operation direction in the plane ofa layer and in the feed direction, based on the thicknesses of thelayers.

The construction platform preferably is designed to be rigid or justheight-adjustable, and the printing head, which in most cases isexchangeably received in a carrier, is positionable or movable with theaid of a positioning system, either two-dimensionally in a plane orthree-dimensionally in space. The positioning system is either aCartesian system or a so-called “delta” system. The Cartesian principleis modeled on portal milling machine, wherein the positioning of thecarrier is performed by means of three driven linear axles spanning thethree-dimensional construction space with the coordinate axes X, Y andZ. The delta printer utilizes the principle of parallelogram kinematicsand can be programmed to make the carrier slightly pivotable.Three-dimensional positioning in this case is realized in the verticaldirection by moving three driven axles spanning a triangle and holdingthe carrier.

With 3D printers operating according to the FDM method, differentiationis, furthermore, made between two basic material conveyance principles.With what is called direct drive, a feed device such as a conveyingmotor for the filament is positioned directly above the printing head(hot end). This enables the precise control of the material flow ratethrough the extruder nozzle of the printing head. By contrast, the feeddevice in a Bowden cable system is attached in a fixed position, e.g.the outer frame of the printer, rather than above the printing head. ABowden cable in whose interior the filament is conducted connects thefeed device to the printing head.

Shaped bodies frequently have to be constructed of more than onematerial. A material change during the construction process is, forinstance, required for forming a shaped body in several colors or ofregions having different material properties. For a material change, themanufacturing process in conventional 3D printers has to be interruptedto exchange the material stock. Since the printing head, and optionallyalso the material supply device, in most cases have to be adapted to therespective material, it is also necessary in the course of a materialchange to perform adaptations of the printing head or even exchange theprinting head. If required, also the supply device has to be convertedor exchanged. Such conversions are not only time-consuming, but alsorequire the presence of a technically qualified operator. A fullyautomatic operation is not possible.

The present invention, therefore, aims to further develop a 3D printerto the effect that the exchange of the printing head and/or the materialwill be simplified.

To solve this object, the invention in a device of the initially definedkind substantially provides that the holder for the material stock, thesupply device and the printing head are arranged in a unit designed asan exchangeable insert. The exchangeable insert allows all threementioned components, i.e. the holder for the material stock, optionallyplus the material stock stored therein, the supply device and theprinting head, to be made available to the 3D printer in a combined unitsuch that, at a material exchange, also an associated supply device andan associated printing head will simultaneously be provided. Preferably,the mentioned components are provided in the exchangeable insert readyfor use, i.e. the material of the material stock, in particular afilament, is fed to the printing head via the supply device such thatthe printing head will be immediately ready for use after having beenremoved from the exchangeable insert and positioned in the carrier. Asopposed to conventional configurations, in which the individualcomponents such as the printing head or the material stock areseparately exchangeable, the invention offers the advantage that aprinting head will be immediately ready for use upon insertion of theexchangeable insert, whereas otherwise material would have to besupplied to an exchanged printing head first, which makes handlingconsiderably more cumbersome.

The provision in a combined, exchangeable insert of all componentscoming into contact with the material, furthermore, offers the advantagethat the respective printing head and the respective supply device areonly used with the assigned material, thus rendering the cleaning of theprinting head or the supply device superfluous at an exchange. Bycontrast, conventional systems require cleaning of a printing headbefore the latter can be used with a new material.

A preferred configuration provides that the device comprises at leastone mounting or insertion place, preferably at least two mounting orinsertion places, each for receiving an exchangeable insert. Theprovision of at least one mounting or insertion place enables the simpleand rapid insertion of the exchangeable insert into the 3D printer.Analogously, the removal of the exchangeable insert is also possible ina simple manner. The mounting or insertion place is preferably locatedsuch that the exchangeable insert can be pushed in or inserted from theexterior of the device, i.e. opening of the construction space is notrequired therefor. If, as in correspondence with a preferredconfiguration, at least two mounting or insertion places are provided,two or more exchangeable inserts can be used at the same time, thusenabling the device to utilize a corresponding number of printing headswith the respectively associated supply device and material stock.

It is preferably provided that the exchangeable unit is open or openableto the construction space containing the construction platform and thepositionable carrier. This will result in that the printing head madeavailable together with the exchangeable unit will be directly graspablefrom the construction space after the insertion of the exchangeable unitin a mounting or insertion place.

For the purpose of easy handling, it is preferably further provided thatthe exchangeable insert comprises a housing enclosing the holder for thematerial stock, the supply device and the printing head. Theexchangeable insert thus assumes the shape of a cartridge in which theprinting head, the supply device and the holder for the material stock,or the material stock, are received in a protected manner.

To use for the manufacturing process the printing head initiallydisposed in the exchangeable insert, it is necessary to fix the printinghead to the positionable carrier, or insert the same into a mount of thecarrier. To this end, the exchangeable unit preferably comprises aretaining device for detachably holding the printing head.

In order to facilitate the transfer of the printing head from theexchangeable insert to the carrier, the printing head, optionallytogether with the retaining device, is preferably displaceable from astorage position arranged in the housing into a transfer positionprojecting from the housing into the construction space. In this case,the exchangeable unit may, in particular, comprise an extendable armand/or swing-out arm, to which the printing head, optionally togetherwith the retaining device, is attached, the printing head beingdisplaceable on said arm from the storage position arranged in thehousing into the transfer position projecting from the housing into theconstruction space. The extendible arm and/or swing-out arm preferablycomprises a displacement or pivot drive, which is likewise arranged inthe exchangeable insert.

According to a preferred configuration, the transfer of the printinghead to the positionable carrier can be performed in an automaticallycontrolled manner. It is, in particular, possible to provide a transferdevice, in particular a manipulator, for transferring the printing headfrom the exchangeable unit into a position received in the carrier, andback. The manipulator can be disposed and fixed in the constructionspace of the device and thus form a fixed component of the 3D printer.Alternatively, the manipulator may be a component of the exchangeableinsert and inserted into, and removed from, the 3D printer as partthereof.

In the context of a preferred configuration, the positioning system,along with the carrier positionable by the same, can be used as amanipulator. In doing so, the positioning system moves the carrier intoa position in which the printing head can be taken over from itstransfer position. To this end, the carrier, for instance, approachesthe printing head located in the transfer position, e.g. from below, sothat the latter is inserted into the provided printing head mount of thecarrier.

The insertion and mounting of the printing head in the carrier, forinstance, occurs via a self-centering system preferably operating basedon the principle of the self-alignment of an iron part in the magneticfield of an electromagnet. Moreover, the printing head mount of thecarrier may preferably be conically designed so as to enable the correctseizure of the printing head by the carrier even in the case ofimprecise prepositioning.

In order to ensure the electric energy supply of the components disposedin the exchangeable insert, it may be provided that the exchangeableinsert comprises an electric energy storage means such as a rechargeableaccumulator. Alternatively, the exchangeable insert may compriseelectrical contacts for connecting the insert to counter-contacts of the3D printer, wherein the counter-contacts are connectable to an electricenergy source such as grid voltage.

Bearing in mind the design of the supply device, a preferredconfiguration contemplates that the supply device comprises a feed unitfor feeding material stored in strand form, in particular a filament.The supply device, in particular, comprises a Bowden cable connectingthe material stock, in particular the feed unit, to the printing head.In such a configuration, the feed unit can remain in the exchangeableinsert, the Bowden cable establishing a material-feeding connectionbetween the feed unit and the printing head while allowing the freepositionability of the printing head.

The supply device is preferably arranged such that the printing head, inthe state connected to the supply device, is displaceable from thestorage position arranged in the exchangeable unit into the transferposition projecting from the housing into the construction space and/orinto the position received in the carrier.

Basically, the positioning system for the carrier and the at least oneprinting head attached thereto or received therein may be designed inany manner whatsoever. A preferred configuration in this contextcontemplates that the positioning system is built in the manner of adelta printer, thus comprising three vertical guides spanning a trianglein ground plan, along which one carriage is each arranged so as to bemovable in the vertical direction. The carriages are each articulatelyconnected to the carrier, e.g. by means of bars, wherein the carrier issupported in the interior of the straight prism with a triangular basedefined by the guides. The individual carriages are independentlymovable in the vertical direction, wherein each carriage is preferablyassigned a stepper motor and the stepper motors are actuatableindependently of one another. An electronic control system ensures thatthe actuation of the stepper motors is performed such that the positionsrespectively required for the construction of the shaped body in thethree-dimensional space will be approached one after the other.

The holder for the material stock, in the event of a material present infilament-form, may be comprised of a cylinder, a reel or a drum, aboutwhich the material is wound like a coil. This enables the space-savingstorage of a large material length, on the one hand, and the continuoussupply of the material, on the other hand.

The holder for the material stock may preferably be comprised of acontainer or disposed in a container, which is removably arranged in theexchangeable insert and includes a material duct for guiding thematerial stored in the container to the outside, in particular to thesupply device arranged outside the container, in particular the feeddevice of the supply device. The container encloses the material orforms a material package, the container being introducible or insertableinto the exchangeable insert and again removable therefrom in order tothereby enable a material change or an exchange of a used materialholder for a holder with new material. The exchangeable insertpreferably comprises an externally accessible container mounting orinsertion place, which serves for mounting the container, whereinmounting and dismounting of the container are, in particular, alsopossible with the exchangeable insert in the mounting or insertion placeof the device so as to enable the exchange of a container even duringrunning operation.

The container may, for instance, receive a cylinder, a reel or a drumabout which the material is wound like a coil.

In the event of moisture-sensitive or hygroscopic material, it ispreferably provided that the container wall of the container is made ofa water- and water-vapor-proof material, preferably a composite materialcomprising a cardboard layer and a polymer film.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a device for theadditive manufacturing of a shaped body, comprising a constructionplatform, a positionable carrier for at least one material applicationand/or processing head such as a printing head, and a positioning systemfor the carrier, said device being characterized in that at least onemounting or insertion place for mounting an exchangeable unit isprovided.

The exchangeable unit or insert can be introduced into the mounting orinsertion place from the side or from top or from bottom.

It is preferably provided that the mounting or insertion place is openor openable to the construction space containing the constructionplatform and the positionable carrier.

Furthermore, a transfer device, in particular a manipulator, fortransferring the material application and/or processing head from theexchangeable unit received in the at least one mounting or insertionplace into a position received in the carrier, and back.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to an exchangeableinsert for receiving in a mounting or insertion place the deviceaccording to the invention, wherein the exchangeable insert comprises amaterial application and/or processing head, in particular a printinghead, for applying material layer by layer to a construction platform ora shaped body at least partially constructed on the constructionplatform, and optionally a holder for a material stock, and optionally asupply device for supplying material from the material stock to the atleast one material application and/or processing head. By materialapplication and/or processing head, any manufacturing head enablingmanufacturing steps in regard to the shaped body to be produced isunderstood. This may be a printing head, by which material forconstructing the shaped body or support material for supporting thestructure to be constructed is supplied, or a processing head which is,for instance, suitable for machining the shaped body. The processinghead may, for instance, be designed as a milling head. The manufacturinghead may also be designed as a pick-and-place unit and comprise agripper device, by which material in lump form can be taken from amaterial stock and applied to the shaped body. Another option consistsin the application of a material different from plastic, e.g. a metalfilament or the like, via a correspondingly adapted manufacturing headin order to reinforce the shaped body.

The exchangeable insert can thus be used to equip a 3D printer with anumber of additional functions.

As already pointed out in the connection with the 3D printer accordingto the invention, the exchangeable insert may have the followingconfigurations.

It is preferably provided that the exchangeable insert, in the statereceived in the mounting or insertion place, is open or openable to theconstruction space containing the construction platform and thepositionable carrier.

The exchangeable insert preferably comprises a housing enclosing thematerial application and/or processing head, and optionally the holderfor a material stock, and optionally the supply device.

A further preferred configuration provides that the exchangeable insertcomprises a retaining device for detachably holding the materialapplication and/or processing head.

The material application and/or processing head, optionally togetherwith the retaining device, are advantageously displaceable from astorage position arranged in the housing into a transfer positionprojecting from the housing. The exchangeable insert may, in particular,comprise an extendible arm and/or swing-out arm, to which the materialapplication and/or processing head, optionally together with theretaining device, are attached, the material application and/orprocessing head being displaceable on said arm from the storage positionarranged in the housing into the transfer position projecting from thehousing.

The supply device may preferably comprise a feed unit for feeding amaterial stored in strand form, in particular a filament.

Furthermore, the supply device may preferably comprise a Bowden cableconnecting the material stock, in particular the feed unit, to theprinting head.

According to a preferred further development, the printing head, in thestate connected to the supply device, is displaceable from the storageposition arranged in the exchangeable unit into the transfer positionprojecting from the housing.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a set comprising

-   -   a device for the additive manufacturing of a shaped body,        comprising a construction platform, a positionable carrier for        at least one material application and/or processing head such as        a printing head, and a positioning system for the carrier,        wherein at least one mounting or insertion place for mounting an        exchangeable unit is provided, and    -   at least a first exchangeable insert according to the invention        comprising a printing head for applying material layer by layer        to a construction platform or a shaped body at least partially        constructed on the construction platform, a holder for a        material stock, and a supply device for supplying material from        the material holder to the printing head.

The set preferably comprises

-   -   at least a second exchangeable insert comprising a material        processing tool for machining a shaped body, such as a milling        head or the like.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by wayof exemplary embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawing.Therein,

FIG. 1 is an external view of a 3D printer according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a ground plan of the 3D printer according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts a first internal view of the 3D printer;

FIG. 4 depicts a second internal view of the 3D printer;

FIG. 5 is a view according to FIG. 4 with the printing head introducedin the printing space;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the exchangeable insert according to theinvention with the printing head in a storage position;

FIG. 7 is a view of the exchangeable insert with the printing head in atransfer position;

FIG. 8 is a view of the exchangeable insert with the printing headremoved from the retaining device;

FIG. 9 is a view of the exchangeable insert with the printing head in aposition of use;

FIG. 10 illustrates the carrier for mounting manufacturing heads;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a modified configuration of the exchangeableinsert with a mounting place for a material-receiving container;

FIG. 12 is a view according to FIG. 11 with the container arranged inthe mounting place; and

FIG. 13 is a view according to FIG. 12 with the printing head extendedfrom the exchangeable insert.

FIG. 1 illustrates a 3D printer. The 3D printer comprises a main housing2, which is provided with an inspection window 3 on at least one of itsside faces to give an insight into the construction space 4 of the 3Dprinter 1. In the construction space 4 of the 3D printer 1, a carrier 5is held to be three-dimensionally positionable by a positioning system.The carrier 5 carries printing heads 6 configured to apply amanufacturing material.

The 3D printer 1 further comprises an add-on housing 7 laterallyarranged at the main housing 2 and comprising at least one, preferablythree, mounting or insertion places for exchangeable inserts.

From the ground plan according to FIG. 2, it is apparent that the mainhousing 2 has a triangular ground plan, wherein the add-on housing 7 isarranged laterally of the main housing 2 and comprises three mounting orinsertion places 15 for exchangeable inserts 16. The respectiveexchangeable insert 16 can be inserted or pushed into the respectivemounting or insertion place 15 in the sense of arrow 42.

The internal view according to FIG. 3 illustrates the positioning systemfor the carrier 5 in more detail. The positioning system comprises threevertical guides, e.g. guide rods 8, two of which are shown in FIG. 3. Acarriage 9 is each arranged on the guide rods 8 so as to be displaceablein the vertical direction, the displacement drive comprising aschematically indicated drive belt 10 each driven by a stepper motor 11.The carrier 5 is fastened to the carriage 9 by means of stay bars 12articulately attached to both sides. The carriages 9 are independentlymovable in the sense of arrow 13, thus enabling the three-dimensionalpositioning of the carrier 5 in the construction space 4. Moreover,tilting of the carrier 5 is also enabled. In the interior of theconstruction space 4 is provided a construction platform 14, on whichthe shaped body to be formed is constructed layer by layer by applyingmaterial from the printing heads 6.

From FIG. 3 it is further apparent that the laterally attached add-onhousing 7 comprises two insertion places 15 each receiving anexchangeable insert 16. The exchangeable inserts 16 are open towards theconstruction space 4 so as to enable the carrier 5 to be equipped withprinting heads by the exchangeable inserts 16, as will be explained inmore detail below. The exchangeable inserts 16 comprise a housing each,wherein a rear and a front housing wall 18 are visible with theexchangeable insert 16 disposed farther behind in FIG. 3. For theexchangeable insert 16 disposed farther forward in FIG. 3, only the roarhousing wall 19 is shown. The front housing wall has not been enteredfor the sake of clarity to make the components received in theexchangeable insert 16 more clearly apparent. Between the housings ofthe exchangeable inserts 16 may optionally be provided a partition wall17 separating the two insertion places 15.

The exchangeable inserts 16 each contain a material holder in the formof a material roller 20, which comprises a material in strand form(filament) wound up like a coil. The material roller 20 is assigned afeed device 21 arranged to draw the filament from the roller 20 and feedit to the printing head 6. The printing head 6 is held in a retainingdevice 22 fastened to an arm 23 comprised of several segments.

FIG. 4 shows the 3D printer of FIG. 3 in an internal view, depicting aperspective different from that of FIG. 3.

While the printing head 6 held in the retaining device 22 is located ina storage position, i.e. within the exchangeable insert 16, in FIG. 4,it has been transferred into the transfer position projecting into theconstruction space 4 in the illustration according to FIG. 5. Thetransfer is effected by swinging out the arm 23 to which the retainingdevice 22 is fastened. The transfer position of the printing head 6depicted in FIG. 5 enables the transfer of the printing head 6 from theretaining device 22 into a printing head mount of the carrier 5. To thisend, the carrier 5 can be moved to the printing head 6 held in theretaining device 22 so as to introduce the printing head 6 into theprinting head mount of the carrier 5. The retaining device 22 isdesigned so as to be able to also remove a printing head received in thecarrier 5 after completion of the provided manufacturing steps, and moveit from the transfer position back into the storage position shown inFIG. 4. The individual components of the exchangeable insert 15 and themechanics for swinging out the retaining device 22 plus printing head 6will be explained in more detail below by way of FIGS. 6 to 9.

In FIG. 6, the exchangeable insert is again denoted by 16 and comprisesa closed housing 24. In the closed housing 24, the roller 20 isrotationally mounted in the sense of double arrow 25. The roller 20 isassigned a feed device 21, to which the filament 26 wound on the roller20 is supplied. From the feed device 21, a Bowden cable 27 leads to theprinting head 6, the filament being guided to the printing head 6 in theinterior of the Bowden cable.

The housing 24, in the region of the storage position of the printinghead 6 depicted in FIG. 6, comprises an opening 28, through which theprinting head 6 can be displaced out of the housing into theconstruction space 4 of the 3D printer 1. To this end, the arm 23comprises a first pivot arm 29, which is mounted so as to be pivotableabout an axis 30 integral with the housing. A further pivot arm isdenoted by 31, which is pivotally fastened to the pivot arm 29 andconnected via a joint 32 to an articulated arm 33 that is pivotableabout the axis 30 integral with the housing. To the free end of thepivot arm 31 is mounted the retaining device 22 for the printing head 6.The pivot drive for the arm 23 is formed by a first gear 34, which isrotationally mounted about an axis 35 integral with the housing andmeshes with a second gear 35 rotationally mounted about an axis 36integral with the housing. The second gear 35 meshes with a third gear37, which is rotationally mounted about the axis 38 of the roller 20.One of the gears 34, 35 and 37 is drivingly connected to a rotary drivesuch as a stepper motor. A rotation of the gears 34, 35 and 37 causesthe displacement of the articulated arm 39, which is rotationallyfastened to the first gear 34 via a rotary joint 40. This, in turn,causes the pivoting of the pivot arms 29 and 31 from the positionillustrated in FIG. 6 into the position illustrated in FIG. 7. At thesame time, the feed device 21 connected to the third gear 37 is moved onby an appropriate angle of rotation such that the Bowden cable 27 willnot impede the displacement of the printing head 6.

From FIG. 8, it is apparent that the printing head 6 was removed fromthe retaining device 22, out of the transfer position depicted in FIG.7, and transferred to the carrier 5 (not illustrated).

Further operation of the rotary drive in the same sense of rotation asbefore causes the arm 23 to be pivoted back into the storage positionillustrated in FIG. 9 with the feed device 21 having been moved on inthe same sense of rotation in order to release sufficient length of theBowden cable 27 so as to enable the free positioning of the printinghead 6 in the construction space 4.

The return of the printing head 6 into the exchangeable insert 16 takesplace in reverse order.

FIG. 10 depicts the carrier 5 in top view, wherein it is apparent thatthe carrier 5 comprises a plurality of mounting places for printingheads 6. The joints allowing for an all-around pivoting movement of thestay bars 12 relative to the carrier 5 are denoted by 41.

FIG. 11 depicts a modified configuration of the exchangeable insert 16.The exchangeable insert 16 comprises a feed device 21 arranged to drawthe filament coming from a material roller from the latter and feed itto the printing head 6 via the Bowden cable 27. The printing head 6 isheld in a retaining device 22 fastened to a movable arm 23. Theexchangeable insert 16 comprises a mounting place 43 which, in thepresent case, is separated from the remaining inner space of the insert16 by a partition wall 44. The housing 24 comprises an opening 45through which a separate container 46 can be introduced into themounting place 43. Said container contains the material roller 20 fromwhich the filament 26 is drawn off and delivered to the feed device 21through an opening or material duct initially closed by a lid 47.

In FIG. 12, the container 46 is disposed in the mounting space 43. InFIG. 13, the printing head 6 has been displaced out of the housingthrough the opening 28 into the construction space 4 of the 3D printer 1by advancing the arm 23.

1. A device for the additive manufacturing of a shaped body, comprisinga construction platform, at least one printing head for applyingmaterial layer by layer to the construction platform or the shaped bodyat least partially constructed on the construction platform, apositionable carrier for the at least one printing head, a positioningsystem for the carrier, a holder for a material stock, and a supplydevice for supplying material from the material stock to the at leastone printing head, characterized in that the holder for the materialstock, the supply device and the printing head are arranged in a unitdesigned as an exchangeable insert.
 2. The device according to claim 1,characterized in that the device comprises at least one mounting orinsertion place, each for receiving an exchangeable insert.
 3. Thedevice according to claim 1, characterized in that the exchangeable unitis open or openable to the construction space containing theconstruction platform and the positionable carrier.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the exchangeable insertcomprises a housing enclosing the holder for the material stock, thesupply device and the printing head.
 5. The device according to claim 1,characterized in that the exchangeable unit comprises a retaining devicefor detachably holding the printing head.
 6. The device according toclaim 4, characterized in that at least the printing head isdisplaceable from a storage position arranged in the housing into atransfer position projecting from the housing into the constructionspace.
 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that theexchangeable unit comprises an extendable arm and/or swing-out arm, towhich the printing head is attached, the printing head beingdisplaceable on said arm from the storage position arranged in thehousing into the transfer position projecting from the housing into theconstruction space.
 8. The device according to claim 1, characterized inthat a transfer device for transferring the printing head from theexchangeable unit into a position received in the carrier, and back, isprovided.
 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that thesupply device comprises a feed unit for feeding material stored instrand form or in the form of a filament.
 10. The device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the supply device comprises a Bowdencable connecting the material stock to the printing head.
 11. The deviceaccording to claim 6, characterized in that the printing head, in thestate connected to the supply device, is displaceable from the storageposition arranged in the exchangeable unit into the transfer positionprojecting from the housing into the construction space and/or into theposition received in the carrier.
 12. The device according to claim 1,characterized in that the holder for the material stock is comprised ofa container including a material duct for the material stored in thecontainer, wherein the container is removably arranged in theexchangeable insert.
 13. The device according to claim 12, characterizedin that the container wall of the container is made of a water- andwater-vapor-proof material and/or a composite material comprising acardboard layer and a polymer film.
 14. A device for the additivemanufacturing of a shaped body, comprising a construction platform, apositionable carrier for at least one material application and/orprocessing head such as a printing head, and a positioning system forthe carrier, characterized in that at least one mounting or insertionplace for mounting an exchangeable unit is provided.
 15. The deviceaccording to claim 14, characterized in that the mounting or insertionplace is open or openable to the construction space containing theconstruction platform and the positionable carrier.
 16. The deviceaccording to claim 14, characterized in that a transfer device fortransferring the material application and/or processing head from theexchangeable unit received in the at least one mounting or insertionplace into a position received in the carrier, and back, is provided.17. An exchangeable insert for receiving in a mounting or insertionplace the device according to claim 2, comprising a material applicationand/or processing head for applying material layer by layer to aconstruction platform or a shaped body at least partially constructed onthe construction platform, and optionally a holder for a material stock,and optionally a supply device for supplying material from the materialstock to the at least one material application and/or processing head.18. The exchangeable insert according to claim 17, characterized in thatthe exchangeable insert, in the state received in the mounting orinsertion place, is open or openable to the construction spacecontaining the construction platform and the positionable carrier. 19.The exchangeable insert according to claim 17, characterized in that theexchangeable insert comprises a housing enclosing the materialapplication and/or processing head, and optionally the holder for amaterial stock, and optionally the supply device.
 20. The exchangeableinsert according to claim 17, characterized in that the exchangeableinsert comprises a retaining device for detachably holding the materialapplication and/or processing head.
 21. The exchangeable insertaccording to claim 17, characterized in that the material applicationand/or processing head are displaceable from a storage position arrangedin the housing into a transfer position projecting from the housing. 22.The exchangeable insert according to claim 21, characterized in that theexchangeable insert comprises an extendible arm and/or swing-out arm, towhich the material application and/or processing head, optionallytogether with the retaining device, are attached, the materialapplication and/or processing head being displaceable on said arm fromthe storage position arranged in the housing into the transfer positionprojecting from the housing.
 23. The exchangeable insert according toclaim 17, characterized in that the supply device comprises a feed unitfor feeding a material stored in strand form, in particular a filament.24. The exchangeable insert according to claim 17, characterized in thatthe supply device comprises a Bowden cable connecting the material stockto the printing head.
 25. The exchangeable insert according to claim 21,characterized in that the printing head, in the state connected to thesupply device, is displaceable from the storage position arranged in theexchangeable unit into the transfer position projecting from thehousing.
 26. The exchangeable insert according to claim 17,characterized in that the holder for the material stock is comprised ofa container including a material duct for the material stored in thecontainer, wherein the container is removably arranged in theexchangeable insert.
 27. The exchangeable insert according to claim 26,characterized in that the container wall of the container is made of awater- and water-vapor-proof material and/or a composite materialcomprising a cardboard layer and a polymer film.
 28. A set comprising adevice for the additive manufacturing of a shaped body, comprising aconstruction platform, a positionable carrier for at least one materialapplication and/or processing head, and a positioning system for thecarrier, at least one mounting or insertion place for mounting anexchangeable unit being provided in the device, and at least one firstexchangeable insert according to claim 17, comprising a printing headfor applying material layer by layer to a construction platform or ashaped body at least partially constructed on the construction platform,a holder for a material stock, and a supply device for supplyingmaterial from the material stock to the printing head.
 29. The setaccording to claim 28, comprising at least one second exchangeableinsert comprising a material processing tool for machining a shapedbody.